Improvement in metal cartridges for cannon



W. E. MOORE Cartridge. Noj 38,322. Patented Apr. 28, 1863,

i N R M E N PETERS, PKOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D c

"U D; T S

PATENT ()rrron- WILLIS E. MOORE, OF CRAWFORDSVILLE, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN METAL CARTRIDGES FOR CANNON.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 38,322, dated April 28, 1863 5 antcdated December 18, 1861.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIs E. MOORE, of Crawfordsville, in the county of Montgomery and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Cartridges for Cannon, 850.; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a cannon and of my improved cartridge. Fig. 2 is external view of my improved cartridge as it appears just when the explosion occurs. Fig. 3 is an external view of .my im proved cartridge as it appears when ready for use.

Similar letters of reference in each of the several figures indicate corresponding-parts.

The nature of my invention consists, first, in effecting the discharge of the metal case of a cartridge from the bore of the cannon at about the moment the explosion of the charge takes place by admitting a portion of the expanded gases into an air-chamber in rear of the cartridge.

Secondly, it consists in a cartridge whose outer casing is made of metal, and tapers from near its front end to its rear extremity, and has one or more weak points, substantially as hereinafter described.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to de scribe its construction and operation.

In experimenting with ordnance of com mon construction, I have found that metalcased cartridges of cylindrical form and of uniform diameter throughout their length cannot be used with advantage, because the expanding gases at the moment of explosion tear asunder the metallic casing and jam one portion of the same against the breech of the cannon, while the other portion escapes with the ball or canister case. To obviate this difficnlty, I have, in one instance, reduced the diameter of the bore of the cannon at a point in rear of the vent by inserting a collar into the bore and driving the same up against the Y breech. In this case the vent was set forward about two inches. By this arrangement a shoulder for the rear end of the cartridge to abut against was formed, and as the cartridge could not be forced against the breech an air-chamber existed between the breech and the end of the cartridge, and, therefore, when the charge was exploded the rear end of the cylindrical cartridge, owing to beingloosely closed, opened and allowed a portion of the expanding gases to rush into the air-chamber in rear of the cartridge case. The result was the instantaneous discharge of the entire cartridge-case from the bore of the cannon. In experimenting further, I adopted a conicalshaped cartridge-case, A, and formed two or more weak points, a, in its sides. At the base of the cone the ball B, or a canister-shot case, 0, was fastened by means of a wooden disk, D, as represented. The weakening of the sides of the case A was effected by making oblique incisions c c in the metal, and then soldering over said incisions. The cartridge thus constructed was placed in the cannon with its conical end or apex touching the breech, as shown. The cartridge-case was perforated, after being placed in the gun, by thrusting a sharp-pointed instrument down through the vent or touch-hole.' This form of cartridge, as will be seen, obviated the necessity of altering the bore of the gun or changing the position of the vent, for there existed between the circumference of the cartridge and the circumference of the bore an air-chamber, D, of the requisite capacity. In firing the conical cartridge from cannon, it was found that the metal casing was only fractured at the weak points a a, in the manner illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, and that it was discharged from the cannon at about the same time that .the ball passed therefrom. From the many experiments which I have made, I am led to conclude that the admission of a portion of the expanded gases through the rear end or the sides of the cartridge into the air-chamher will render the use of metal-cased cartridges practical, as the necessity of swabbing at every shot is obviated, my cartridge a1- lowing of from thirty to fifty shots being made before swabbing becomes necessary. I also conclude that the passage of the highlyheated gases into the air-chamber, and the consequent expansion of the air therein, add to the effective force of the charge.

- of a cartridge, substantially as set forth.

In the drawings the lines show the weak 2. A cartridge made of taper form, and with parts of the cartridge blown outward, and the one or more weak points in its circumference, arrows illustrate the manner in which the substantially in the manner and for the purexpanded gases fill the air-chamber and crowd pose set forth. against the conical surface of the cartridgecase. I WILLIS E. MOORE.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to Y secure by Letters Patent, is- Witnesses:

1. Elfecting the discharge of the metal case ROBT. W. FENWIOK, GU$TAVUS DIETERICH. 

